It all began here. Admittedly, it took me a while to start drawing. I didn’t come to Queen’s with the intention of recording my experience in comic-form, I had to be convinced to do so. And who did the convincing? Well… it was a combination of instant-messenger friends (who told me I was good at telling stories, the liars), and webcomics.

Y’see, my exposure to internet culture was quite limited (read: non-existent) before I got to Kingston. Home was a rural property outside a remote, northern city, so the concept of limitless web access was completely foreign. From awful dial-up one day, to broadband freedom the next… I bit hard. Webcomics, MMOs, YouTube, Facebook – I needed it all!

I had a lot of catching up to do, and webcomics proved to be the best tutors. It was only natural I should emulate them. What confuses me, to this day, is that I latched on to the culture of society’s toys, rather than society itself. You’d think that, coming from a small town, I’d be desperate to meet new people and experience new culture… but, no. I just wanted to play.

Of course, the biggest influence on my university (and everyday) life was the cartoon “Undergrads.” This I saw when I was still in elementary school, and it stuck with me through to… well, today, even. There’s a lot of copycat work at play in the pages to come, as I’m sure you’ll see, but even more esoteric humour that I think really sums up my personality.

When I look back to my first year, I am in awe of my ambition. A lot of care went into the production of these pages, and I often bit off more than I could comfortably chew. It’s true that this comic often caused more stress in my life than my exams. Today, I struggle to produce a single page per month, and while that may be due to more labour-intensive artwork, I tend to think I just burnt out too early in my life.

Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk about… me!

Scripts

“MJ: 1, FRECKS: 0”

Freck (2nd-year Engineering Orientation people): Hey! It’s a Frosh! You’re gonna get it Froshie! Where’s your mommy now frosh?

Me: Umm… ok… Shouldn’t there… you know… be more of you?

Freck: There are more of me. Can’t you see my fellow frecks? We will make your Frosh Week a living HELL! HAHAHA!!!

Me: You’re a very lonely person, aren’t you?

Freck: *Sob* Mmhmm… [Sniff]

“Antisocial, Anyone?”

Me: There! All moved in and set up!

Neighbour: …friend?

Me: *GASP*

Neighbour: …ughhh…

“Film… What does it mean?”

Professor Allan: Now… we’re gonna take a look at a very influencial Canadian film. Made in the 60’s by Arthur Lipsett… ROLL IT! What is it about?

Student: I feel that this film was an obvious statement of how the urban culture breeds an apathetic society.

Professor Allan: Very good… And birds say tweet. {Simpsons Quote}

Me: HOW THE HELL DID SHE GET ALL THAT FROM A SMILEY FACE!?!

“Slow Torture”

Girl 1: Hmm… 11:59PM.

Girl 2: Hey! I know what we can do! We can practice screaming!

Girl 1: YAY!

Girls 1 & 2: EEEEEK! [Teeheehee…]

Me: So cold… so cold… so very, very cold…